fiscal discipline
Spending under control
Fiscal discipline is the practice of controlling government spending and debt, typically by limiting expenditures to match revenues.
Politicians invoke it when advocating budget cuts or opposing new programs: We need fiscal discipline, not more handouts.
The phrase carries conservative connotations, often implying that spending restraint is virtuous and deficits are irresponsible.
Critics note it's selectively applied—invoked against social programs but forgotten when cutting taxes.
- deficitAmount still owed
- in the redFinancially in deficit
- budgetPlan for spending
- cost-cuttingReducing expenditures deliberately
- austerityEnforced economic stringency
balanced budget · balance the books · taxation · tax burden · deficit reduction · creditworthiness · debt ceiling · debt limit · expenditure · belt-tightening · pay-as-you-go · surplus · repayment · public debt · revenue · coffers · cuts · monetary policy
- money managementsaving, savings, budgeting, budget planning, expense tracking
- economic policymonetary policy, tax policy, tariff, tax cuts, subsidy
- austerityausterity measures, spending cuts, budget cuts, deficit reduction, belt tightening
- fiscal policybudget deficit, deficit spending, national budget, budget surplus, budget deficits
- Austerity Measuresbudget cuts, spending cuts, public spending cuts, subsidy cuts, welfare cuts
- fiscal oversightbudget oversight, spending limits, financial oversight, budget constraints, spending caps
fiscal disciplinedeficit spending
Expenditures funded by debt
budget deficits · overspending · living beyond one's means · stimulus spending · printing money